The situation continues to deteriorate for the Las Vegas Raiders, a team that entered the season with extremely high expectations. With a new quarterback and coach, the aim was to get back into the thick of the playoff race.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t come to pass, as they stand near the bottom of the league with their record. However, facing the Denver Broncos in a Week 14 clash, things took a dramatic turn for the worse as Geno Smith went down with an injury that forced him to the locker room.
What Happened to Geno Smith?
After one of the biggest moves of the offseason, Smith was expected to turn a corner for the Raiders’ franchise. However, a brutal year behind a porous offensive line did not allow him to work to the best of his abilities.
But, against the Broncos, an injury to his hand suffered in the first half was made worse near the end of the third quarter. As a result, despite driving them down the field, Smith had to be taken out of the game.
Geno Smith injured his hand in the first half.
What I don’t understand is: why do you keep him in? Clearly injured, eliminated from the playoffs. And Kenny Pickett is your backup 🤔 pic.twitter.com/KJCivI8D0v
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) December 7, 2025
Instead, Vegas entrusted Kenny Pickett with a fourth-and-goal opportunity that he failed to convert, allowing Denver to maintain a 21-7 lead in the fourth.
Ranked 28th on PFSN’s QB Impact, the season hadn’t gone according to plan at all for the former Seattle Seahawks star. But he at least gave them a fighting chance, which all but disappeared with Pickett under center.
On the season, Smith had thrown for 2,532 yards with a completion percentage of 67.3% with 15 touchdowns to his credit. However, what truly held him back was his propensity for turnovers, with 14 interceptions on the season tied with Tua Tagovailoa for most in the league.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
